MILF accuses Philippine military of attacking rebel forces

From the Mindanao Examiner BlogSpot site (Apr 17): MILF accuses Philippine military of attacking rebel forces

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front has accused the Philippine military of attacking its forces in the southern province of Basilan and said three of its fighters had been killed by soldiers.

It said one civilian, Julamri Bapakil was also killed and three others wounded - Adzmar Abdurahim, 14; Hudri Julamri, 16; and Basri Pamasad, 17; and Jihad Abdurajim, 17 - by the military assault in the towns of Ungkaya Pukan and Tipo-Tipo.

The MILF identified its slain members as Basir Kerok, Soy Tarung and Mohammad Soh. Two other fighters, Totong Ausal and Muthim Imam, were also wounded in the fighting. It said the military violated the cease-fire agreement between the MILF and the government.

Abu Sayyaf

The military’s Western Mindanao Command said it launched the operation on April 11 against the Abu Sayyaf which is being blamed for the spate of terrorism and ransom kidnappings in Basilan and other parts of western Mindanao. The clashes also killed two soldiers and wounded 29 more.

Marine Captain Maria Rowena Muyuela, spokeswoman for the Western Mindanao Command, said the military assault targeted Abu Sayyaf leaders Puruji Indama and Nurhassan Jamiri, who have been harassing workers at a government road project there.

She said the military operation was coordinated with the MILF in Basilan, one of five provinces under the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and is also a known stronghold of the rebel group.

“The launching of the combat operation has been coordinated with the AHJAG, CCCH and the PNP in pursuit of the lawless elements, primarily the Abu Sayyaf, which is believed to be responsible in several extortion and kidnapping cases here in the Mindanao area,” Myuela said.

AHJAG refers to the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group and the CCCH is the abbreviation for the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities which is part of the peace panels of the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front that ensures the mechanism of the cease-fire agreement is not violated.

Truce violated

But the MILF, the country’s largest Muslim rebel group which recently signed a peace deal with Manila, denied the military report, saying the assault was launched without any coordination and this sparked fierce gun battle between its forces and government troops after security forced encroached into its territories.

“The movement of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) soldiers was not in any way coordinated with CCCH neither the military informed the AHJAG. The encounter could had been avoided had the military coordinated with the GPH-MILF CCCH and the International Monitoring Team,” the MILF said.

It said the military assault against the Abu Sayyaf in the village of Kurellem lasted only for two hours, the exchanged of gun fire between the aggressed MILF forces and the government troops took several hours.

“Heavy damages were also reported on a school building, madrasah, mosque and agricultural crops due to relentless artillery shelling and helicopter machinegun fire,” it said.

MILF rebels aided Abu Sayyaf

AFP chief Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista said they have reports that MILF rebels fought alongside Abu Sayyaf militants in Basilan.

“We were running after the ASG, yun MILF kinausap sila through our mechanisms that we are going to launch enforcement operations and they supported that.  Kung saan ay mayroon silang mga members that they cannot control, may mga kamag-anak sila sa Abu Sayyaf (and) they probably joined (the fighting) in their individual capacity (and) not as MILF (as an organization), as relatives...naguusap yun MILF and AFP so it’s very clear yun,” Bautista told reporters while visiting wounded troops in Zamboanga City.

Bautista said some MILF members who have relatives with the Abu Sayyaf were involved in the fighting.

“There is no participation of the MILF in the operations. May usapan tayo with the MILF and it is working and kausap natin yun mga commander nila during the operations and they support our operations. Ngayon alam naman natin na ang MILF ay irregular force yan, minsan mayroong kamag-anak ang ASG doon, Ganoon ang nangyari,” he said.

Military spokesman Maj. Gen. Domingo Tutaan said they are still verifying reports that as many as 32 rebels were killed and wounded in the fighting. “We are checking this report that at least 18 rebels were killed and 14 others were wounded in the clashes. All these (reports) came from the grounds,” Tutaan told The Manila Times.

Despite the massive military assault, the militants escaped, but the military said the operation against the Abu Sayyaf will not stop. Some 200 soldiers under the command of Brig. Gen. Carlito Galvez had taken part in the offensive.

http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/2014/04/milf-accuses-philippine-military-of.html